At least a better prospect

Dear readers,

A year ago, I expressed my expectation that the new federal German government elected in February 2025 would quickly provide impetus for housing construction. For a few months now, the number of approvals and orders seems to be recovering slightly and slowly. With the recently decided resumption of subsidies for buildings following the standards for KfW Efficiency House 55, a first promising instrument has been launched. It remains to be seen whether this will stimulate the construction industry in the long term. So the situation has not improved in the past 12 months, but at least the prospects have.

Another prospect promises more excitement in the short term, namely the upcoming Brick and Tile Training course in Würzburg. A full and exciting program of lectures awaits you on December 2 and 3. You can see for yourself in this issue, starting on page 6, where you will find brief summaries of most of the lectures. Not mentioned there, but also exciting: on December 4, there will be another excursion, this time to Hörl & Hartmann in Hainburg.

Until then, take another look at this issue – it’s worth it. In the interview with Christian Gäbelein from KERATEK on page 26f., you can not only get to know the company better, but also learn how rare and valuable broad experience in coarse ceramic process engineering is.

In the report starting on page 20 about Gillrath Ziegel- u. Klinkerwerk GmbH & Co. KG in Erkelenz, you can take a look inside the last Hoffmann kiln in the Rhineland, learn about really hard work, and find out how the family business is weathering the housing slump relatively unscathed.

In the technical article starting on page 32, Johanna Vogt-Simon, research assistant at the LWL Museum Ziegelei Lage, reports on child labour in brickworks. This is particularly widespread in South-East Asia. Photographer Luca Catalano Gonzaga has impressively captured these difficult and untenable conditions.

Further reports, including about a new inspection system for dry (roof) tiles from ibea GmbH can be found on page 18, about the 90th birthday of Wilhelm Röben, senior partner at Röben Tonbaustoffe GmbH, on page 40, and about the 100th birthday of Belgian brick manufacturer Vandersanden on page 48.

I hope you find this an entertaining and informative read.

Yours sincerely

Victor Kapr